2014 Mazda3 is rated 29 mpg city/41 highway by EPA

The United States Environmental Agency has given a fuel economy rating of 29 mpg city/41 highway to the redesigned 2014 Mazda3, the Japanese carmaker disclosed. The rating pertains to the 2014 Mazda3 sedan powered by 155-hp 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine mated to a manual transmission. Once the engine is mated to an automatic gearbox, the Mazda3's city rating will increase by 1 mpg, while highway fuel economy remains unchanged.

Mazda3’s fuel economy ratings are expected to boost its sales in the US. The current Mazda3 posted a 12-percent drop in sales in the US in the first half of 2013 to 52,701 units, in contrast to the growth logged by the entire compact-car segment at 8 percent to over 1.1 million vehicles.

Mazda will launch the 2014 Mazda3 in September with a starting price of $17,740, including shipping. The entry-level Mazda3 i SV, only available as a sedan, is powered by a 2.0-liter engine paired to six-speed manual transmission from Mazda's Skyactiv range of technology.

Five-door hatchback variants are available in higher trim levels. Coming as standard equipment are push-button start, automatic door locks, remote keyless entry and a USB connection port. The Mazda3 is available in four trim levels: SV, Sport, Touring and Grand Touring. The range-topping Mazda3 is the Grand Touring hatchback, with the "s" designating a 2.5-liter engine mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. It has a price of $27,290.

Attraction. A first glance of the new Mazda 3 immediately inspires the spirit, grabbing hold of the viewer before increasing its grasp. It brings one in. A relationship has been created, sowing the seeds of a long-lasting association.

Supporting this charm is the KODO - Soul of Motion styling motif. Inspired by the splendour and supremacy of nature, Mazda created KODO to bring its distinct sensation of liveliness and nimbleness to the next step. For an adamant new generation of vehicles begging for drivers.

Capturing emotions

Always applauded and always uniquely Mazda, this new Mazda 3 nonetheless commemorates a renaissance of sorts. Mazda has developed a genuinely avid illustration of vibrant motion, progressing KODO's confidence for the powerful, robust C-segment dimensions. Like KODO models before, the brand-new Mazda 3 has a steady posture heightened by the compact-looking, rear- tilting interior.

Shorter and broader than the present model, the vehicle's raked silhouette, growing dramatically to the back and supported by the confidently flaring fenders and big sporty aluminium wheels at the corners, communicates sprightliness and force. And Mazda's renowned intense power.

Press Release

MAZDA ANNOUNCES PRICING AND FUEL ECONOMY OF ALL-NEW 2014 MAZDA3

Mazda North American Operations (MNAO) today announced official pricing and fuel economy figures for the all-new 2014 Mazda3. Starting at $16,945[1] MSRP, the redesigned compact vehicle is the brand's best-selling and most recognizable nameplate worldwide with more than 3.5 million vehicles sold. With the full complement of SKYACTIV®[2] technologies combined with the handsome styling of the KODO "Soul of Motion" design language and all-new technologies such as the capacitor-based regenerative engine braking i-ELOOP system, the 2014 Mazda3 touts exceptional styling and best-in-class fuel economy with 41 highway mpg.

"The compact car segment is one that is competitively cutthroat, meaning there is little room for error when launching an all-new vehicle like the 2014 Mazda3," said Jim O'Sullivan, president and CEO, MNAO. "But our best-selling vehicle has only gotten better, winning over the industry critics that were recently offered a behind-the-wheel experience. Yet our most important judges remain the consumers and I am confident that our third-generation Mazda3 will not disappoint."

The Mazda3 was the first Mazda in North America to feature SKYACTIV TECHNOLOGY, introducing the SKYACTIV-G 2.0-liter gasoline engine as well as SKYACTIV manual and automatic transmissions in 2012. On sale in September, the 2014 Mazda3 will be offered with two SKYACTIV engine choices in the 2.0-liter and 2.5-liter gasoline engines. The standard engine on i designated trim levels (SV, Sport, Touring and Grand Touring) remains the SKYACTIV-G 2.0-liter, which produces 155 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 150 lb-ft of torque at 4,000 rpm. For s designated models, the larger SKYACTIV-G 2.5-liter gasoline engine will be standard equipment and boasts 184 horsepower at 5,700 rpm and 185 lb-ft of torque at 3,250 rpm.

The sedan-only i SV is available with either the SKYACTIV-MT six-speed manual ($16,945 MSRP) or SKYACTIV-Drive six-speed automatic ($17,995 MSRP) transmissions. However, this entry-level model can hardly be called "base." Although featuring a slight price increase ($245) from the previous model year, in addition to SKYACTIV TECHNOLOGY, the 2014 Mazda3 i SV model offers new standard features such as push-button start, automatic power door locks, a remote keyless entry system, daytime running lights and a USB connection port. Also standard are a matte-finish front grille, 16-inch full-cover steel wheels, body-color door handles and bumpers, dual-power folding outside mirrors, power windows with driver-side one-touch down/up, a tilt-and-telescopic adjustable steering column, air conditioning with a pollen filter, trim-specific cloth sport seats, a fold-down rear seat, a four-speaker AM/FM audio system and an auxiliary input jack.

Moving up to the i Sport adds illuminated steering wheel controls, a 60/40-split fold-flat rear seat, Bluetooth® hands-free phone and audio connectivity, cruise control, a trip computer, a CD player, map lights, body-colored side mirrors and a tachometer. Sport models are available in either sedan or new-for-2014 five-door form and can be fitted with either transmission. The Mazda3 i Sport four-door with SKYACTIV-MT starts at $18,445 MSRP while an identically equipped five-door starts at $18,945 MSRP. Optioning the SKYACTIV-Drive six-speed automatic adds $1,050 for either sedan or five-door model.

Mid-level i Touring models feature all-new 16-inch aluminum alloy wheels, heated body-color folding outside mirrors with turn signal indicators, bright beltline trim, a rear seat folding armrest with cup holders, the Mazda Advanced Keyless Entry & Start system, Touring-specific cloth-trimmed sport seats as well as a leather-wrapped brake handle, shift knob and three-spoke steering wheel with contrast stitching. A body-color rear deck lip spoiler becomes standard on sedans while a rear roof spoiler is fitted onto five-door models. A Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM) system with Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA) also is standard on all i Touring models. The Mazda3 i Touring four-door with SKYACTIV-MT starts at $19,595 MSRP while the five-door version adds $500 to a starting price of $20,095 MSRP. Like i Sport models, the automatic transmission can be added for $1,050, regardless of how many doors are optioned.

The i Grand Touring starts at $22,745 MSRP for the sedan and $23,245 MSRP for the five-door when featuring a SKYACTIV-MT six-speed manual transmission. The SKYACTIV-Drive six-speed automatic adds $1,050 to $23,795 MSRP and $24,295 MSRP, respectively. All i Grand Touring models feature the equipment of an i Touring with SKYACTIV-Drive as well as a six-way power-adjustable driver's seat with manual lumbar adjustment, leatherette seats and door panel inserts, variable heated front seats and a moonroof with a one-touch open function.

The more powerful SKYACTIV-G 2.5-liter gasoline engine is reserved for s models, which are available only in Touring and Grand Touring trim levels. At launch, the SKYACTIV-Drive six-speed automatic transmission will be the only transmission option available, but the SKYACTIV-MT six-speed manual is confirmed to be offered at a later date. Estimated fuel economy for the s-designated sedans is 28 city/39 highway mpg or 29 city/40 highway mpg when equipped with i-ELOOP. Five-doors are estimated to achieve 28 city/37 highway mpg or 29 city/39 highway mpg with i-ELOOP. All i and s trims deliver their fuel economies equipped with standard temporary spare tire.

A Sport mode button also is standard and offers a more direct response in terms of accelerator feel and a heightened sense of linearity. All Mazda3 vehicles equipped with a six-speed automatic transmission feature a manual shift option but the Sport mode feature (s models only) adjusts the shift mapping – and to a lesser extent the throttle response – to better match more engaging driving conditions, such as twisty roads. The transmission will hold gears longer and not upshift or downshift as much while manually shifting when driving through turns.

The top-of-the-food-chain s Grand Touring features all the equipment of the s Touring with Technology Package as well as auto on/off headlights, bi-xenon headlights with auto leveling, a pivoting Adaptive Front-lighting System (AFS), rain-sensing windshield wipers, an auto dimming rearview mirror, perforated leather-trimmed seats and a moonroof with a one-touch open function. The s Grand Touring sedan starts at $25,995 MSRP and the five-door at $26,495 MSRP.

SCBS is an added safety component designed to assist a driver in reducing the extent of front collisions when traveling at speeds between 2 and 19 miles per hour. When the imbedded laser sensor detects an obtrusive object ahead of the vehicle and the system calculates there may be a high risk for collision, the brake pedal travel is reduced in order to hasten braking. Should the driver fail to perform an avoidance maneuver, the SCBS system will activate an automatic braking function. While the system will not eliminate accidents, its intent is to minimize them and reduce the severity of an impact.

All 2014 Mazda3 vehicles are available with a choice of eight colors: Jet Black, Soul Red, Blue Reflex, Liquid Silver, Meteor Gray, Snowflake White Pearl and the two all-new Mazda shades of Deep Crystal Blue and Titanium Flash. A choice of Black or Sand cloth seats as well as Black or Almond leather seats is available based on trim level. Leatherette-trimmed seats are offered only in Black.

Standard safety features for the 2014 Mazda3 includes six airbags (front, side and full side-curtain), whiplash-reducing front headrests, headrests for all seating positions, power-assisted ventilated front and solid rear disc solid brakes, anti-lock brakes (ABS) with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD) and Brake Assist, daytime running lights, Dynamic Stability Control (DSC), a Traction Control System (TCS), Hill Launch Assist, a collapsible steering column (following air bag deployment), a trunk entrapment release system, a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS), a keyless remote panic button on the key fob, three-point safety belts for all seating positions, front seatbelt pretensioners with force limiters as well as Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH).

i Touring and above models feature a Blind Spot Monitoring (BSM) system and Rear Cross Traffic Alert (RCTA) as standard equipment. A rearview camera is an available option on i Touring models and is standard on i Grand Touring as well as s Touring and Grand Touring models. The Adaptive Front-lighting System (AFS) and rain sensing wipers are standard on the s Grand Touring. High Beam Control (HBC), a Lane Departure Warning System (LDWS) and Smart City Brake Support (SCBS) are available as part of the Grand Touring Technology Package for the s Grand Touring models.

Mazda North American Operations is headquartered in Irvine, Calif., and oversees the sales, marketing, parts and customer service support of Mazda vehicles in the United States and Mexico through nearly 700 dealers. Operations in Mexico are managed by Mazda Motor de Mexico in Mexico City. For more information on Mazda vehicles, including photography and B-roll, please visit the online Mazda media center at www.mazdausamedia.com.